Yesterday there were
sharp rains which threatened and raised fears of situation in Chennai getting
worser. Today too there were some
showers but fortunately they appear not to be as bad and the situation is
definitely improving.
People may be tired
of rains – SYMA continued its relief work for the 4th day in
succession. Today too we had 2 boats, 2
trucks + a car and more – carrying food packets, dress materials, biscuits,
bread and today thoughtfully milk packets for children [and some sanitary
napkins too]
The winding Old Mahabalipuram Road (Rajiv Gandhi
Salai) starts near the Kasturba Nagar
Railway station - the Madhya Kailash
temple in Adyar in South Chennai – winds it way till Mahabalipuram – being the
earliest route – it carries the name ‘Old Mahabalipuram Road’ – this is State
highway-49A. The corridor, an ambitious six-lane project
with service lanes and landscaping, came in to being around 2005 – the 1st
phase being 20.1 km from Madhya Kailash
junction to Siruseri — it is ever
expanding and already struggling to find space for the ever increasing no. of
users. The IT Corridor Project, was an
initiative of Government of Tamil Nadu to develop the Corridor as a world-class
facility and to promote a progressive and IT/ITES friendly image of Tamil Nadu.
There are so many IT, ITES and other big
companies on the way.
…… and this was one
of the areas badly affected with traffic closed in some sections – all opened
and buses running today, is a good news.
Semmencherry is a
suburb situated in Kancheepuram District – Wikipedia describes. It has a temple of Pallava era, a notified
heritage structure. It is a stone’s throwaway from Sholinganallur
junction [Aavin] and has got a bus terminus too. It has many slums and many big building
projects including one by Housing board.
Some regularly travelling on OMR and marvelling the beautiful buildings
on either side of the road, may not be aware that there are places like
Semmencherry lying just a kilometre away from the main road.
Today’s destination
was Semmencherry – we did not go to the usual nagars but with material loaded on the boat to the vast expanse of
construction in knee deep flowing water and inside there are more than 150
people – construction workers with many children. There we distributed food, dress, milk and
others.
Then we moved on to
Kannagi Nagar nearer Thuraipakkam – inside we were told by an active worker
belonging to ruling party that there are around 2300 people and many of the
areas were badly affected as Buckingham canal and the other waterbody from
Thuraipakkam intersect this place and water gushed from the river. When you have thousands of people, and you
have few hundreds of blankets and the like – things could turn chaotic to
violent. We deposited them with the local
councillor in a hospital building to be aggregated and distributed by
them.
Another group went to
Kotturpuram area; while some more were distributed nearer Adyar Malar
hospital. SYMA is pondering on slowing
down the relief and do some meaningful strategic support in rehabilitation.
We look forward to
your support and views too……. SYMA heartily thanks all of you who have
supported us financially - ~ from here and abroad; those who provided food and
other material; our own and other
volunteers who have been tirelessly working with us in relief work. We for sure would like to each one of you
individually – in concluding, One need
not be rich – it is the mind and willingness – as we have been busy formulating
our work in front of TJ Ramani house in East Mada Street, couple of vegetable
vendors who have roadside shops approached us……….. for a moment one thought,
they were going to ask for any help ………. One of them an old lady gave Rs.500/-
while another man gave Rs.1000/-
Kind-hearted – We are
really moved by their gesture. Together
we will continue to strive to make the society a better place.
Regards – S.
Sampathkumar,
Secretary SYMA
5th Dec 2015
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